Theories surrounding her image change largely rumoured that she had suffered from an eating disorder. But Geldof repeatedly laughed off the claims, insisting that her weight loss was actually down to strict doctor’s orders after a health scare caused by overeating.

"I had cholesterol and the doctors said stop eating s***. So I did," she told The Sun in an interview dating back to 2011.

"If you stop eating pizza and chips you then don't look like you used to."

Seemingly unaware of her appearance, she then asked the interviewer: "Do I really look that thin?

"Let's be honest. How did I do it? I just stopped eating McDonalds and f****** s*** ever day."

"I used to eat s*** every single day,” she continued. “I used to wake up with my boyfriend and eat crap.

"I had the heart of a 90-year-old gangster."

Peaches with her father Bob Geldof and her sister Pixie in 2003
"People are like, 'Peaches is scary and anorexic'," she went on to say. "Not really. It's ridiculous."

Of course, without medical evidence, there is no way of knowing whether Geldof was being entirely candid or not on the subject matter. Indeed, sufferers of eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, are likely to be incredibly private about their battle with food.

"Eating disorders by their nature are a very secretive illness and it can be some time before friends and family are aware of a problem," Leanne Thorndyke, a spokesperson for the UK’s leading eating disorder charity BEAT, tells The Independent.

"You can’t tell by looking at someone if they have an eating disorder and they could be medically at risk and you wouldn’t know.

"Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses and claim more lives than any other mental illness - one in five of the most seriously affected will die prematurely from the physical consequences or suicide."

The rumours about potential health problems have continued after her death. Reports speculating whether her frequent juice dieting was to blame for her "unexplained" passing are rife, as are interviews with former lovers and friends, citing Geldof’s past struggles with addiction.

Readers who suspect that they may be suffering from an eating disorder, or who are worried about a friend who may be, can seek advice via the BEAT website here.

“[Eating disorders] are treatable conditions and full recovery is possible,” Thorndyke adds. “The sooner someone gets the help and treatment they need, the more likely they are to make a full recovery.”